An investigations officer at Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has testified that while Zambia Air Force (ZAF) colonel Dexter Maseka told Lusaka Magistrate Nsunge Chanda that he knew nothing about the Ibex Hill properties allegedly belonging to former ZAF commander Eric Chimese, he had earlier informed her that he was the one who actually fixed aluminium windows at the said property.

In this matter, Maseka, a 43-year-old procurement officer of Chamba valley is charged with one count of Perjury contrary to Section 104 (1) of the Penal Code Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence allege that on July 9, 2019 in Lusaka, Maseka gave false information to Magistrate Nsunge Chanda that he knew nothing relating to the alleged Eric Mwaba Chimese properties situated in Ibex along twin palm road when in fact not.

When the matter came up for trial before magistrate Alice Walusiku, Thursday, Mirriam Mubialelwa, a senior investigations officer, testified that in July last year, DEC received information alleging that Chimese had engaged in some illegal activities.

She said among the allegations raised, was that he (Chimese) was trying to conceal properties in Ibex Hill where he built a single story house, nine flats, among others.

Mubialelwa told the court that DEC later received information that furniture in the nine flats was being moved.

She added that this development prompted the commission to launch investigations to establish the owner of the Ibex Hill properties.

The State witness told the court that this was because Chimese alleged that the storey house and nine flats belonged to Chita lodges.

Mubialelwa said during investigations, she interviewed ZAF Major Cephas Mudaala who informed her that he was a project manager at the properties from 2012 to 2014.

She said Mudaala said in 2014, he travelled to South Africa to attend a training course and handed over supervision of works at the Ibex properties, to Maseka.

Mubialelwa said on January 2, this year, she called Maseka to state the role he played on the said properties and he said that he never worked at the properties.

She said after further interrogations on a later date, Maseka informed the investigations officers that he fixed aluminium windows and helped correct some sewer pipes at the Ibex Hill properties.

Mubialelwa testified that when Maseka appeared before Magistrate Chanda, he gave a contrary statement regarding the Ibex Hill properties purporting that he never knew anything about the Ibex Hill properties.

“During pretrial, Maseka maintained that he fixed aluminium windows at the Ibex Hill properties,” she said.

The matter comes up on January 16, next year, for cross examination.